About Natalie Jonckheere, PhD

I am a Communication PhD with varied experiences in research, teaching, and industry work.

I am currently a Data & Analytics Strategy Manager on the Advanced Analytics Team at Choice Hotels International, where I work on defining and implementing Choice’s data strategy. This involves working on data fluency training, ongoing communications, data quality issues, and internal process optimization.

Before starting work at Choice, I received a PhD in Communication from the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. My research focused on media industries, media audiences, and organizational communication, especially on how media organizations collect and use audience data. My dissertation, which I defended in May 2022, uncovered how research and data workers within media organizations respond to change. You can read more about my dissertation and my other research here.

During my time at USC, I had various teaching and other academic work experiences. I taught one Public Speaking course and spent three semesters as a Teaching Assistant for a course on media economics. I also worked as a Consultant at the USC Writing Center and as an Assistant Editor for the International Journal of Communication. You can read more about my teaching and other academic work here.

Prior to joining Annenberg, I worked as a Digital Advertising Sales Research Analyst at NBCUniversal. In Summer 2014, I completed a Certificate in Nielsen Audience Measurement from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University. As part of the program, I interned in ad sales research at Turner Broadcasting System. You can read more about my industry research here.

In May 2014, I completed a Master of Arts in Media, Culture, and Communication from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. My thesis analyzed the propaganda value of American films made during World War II that explored the home front in Europe.

I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics with a minor in cinematic arts. I worked as a research assistant at USC’s Second Language Acquisition Lab for two years. During this time, I worked on two separate but related projects on speech prosody.

While pursuing graduate study in New York City, I interned for Film Forum and Katz Media Group and served as a Teaching Fellow for an undergraduate course at NYU’s Stern School of Business.